March 17, 2017

He was born January 27, 1938 in Wilkinsburg, PA, a son of the late William and Elizabeth Bezts. Prior to his retirement, Richard was a maintenance worker for Gateway High School and a former employee of Westinghouse, East Pittsburgh. He was a volunteer firefighter and a lifetime member of Pitcairn Hose Co. #1 and a member of Masonic Lodge 613. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by several brothers and sisters. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Pierce Bezts; son, Richard G. Jr. (Valerie Verheyen); daughters, Cynthia Retter Rebholz (Rich), Donna Pericho (Donald), Shirley Noll Rendulic (Steve), Carol Thurston (John); sisters, Betty Kozain, Shirley Franzen; 14 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. Friends will be received at the James W. Shirley Funeral Home, 176 Clay Pike, North Huntingdon on Monday from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. A funeral service will take place on Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the funeral home. Interment in Penn Lincoln Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Excela Health Hospice, Greensburg. www.shirleyfuneralhome.com.